academics

The mission of the academic program is to prepare students for college and life as a creative professional.

Academic instructional environments encourage inquiry and intellectual curiosity, and empower students to raise questions and develop a pattern of lifelong learning. Students enjoy small class sizes, multiple AP options and innovative lessons taught by fully licensed teachers. Curriculum is active, collaborative, and aligned with state standards. Students self-select on-level or advanced and AP options.

HIGH STANDARDS

ASSESSMENTS
SPCPA measures student mastery of the standards through state and local assessments.
ALIGNED
The Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists aligns with Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
PREPARED
Students engage daily in academic programming to meet graduation requirements, as determined by the state of Minnesota and Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, and prepare for the college or post-secondary conservatory program of their choice. All academic teachers hold licenses granted by the Minnesota Board of Teaching.
STUDENT-CENTERED
Students are given opportunities to drive their learning process. The focus of the activity in the classroom is on the student, not the teacher.
ACTIVE
Students learn through discussions, problem solving, case studies, role playing and other methods. Active learning approaches place a greater degree of responsibility on the learner than passive approaches such as lectures.
HANDS-ON
As much as possible, learning is experiential. Students learn by doing.
INQUIRY-BASED
“Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer” - Rainer Maria Rilke
PROBLEM SOLVING
Obstacles are inspiration.
THOUGHT PROVOKING
A primary purpose of the academic program is to stimulate deeper thinking and more sophisticated questions.
COLLABORATIVE
Students work together to consider questions, solve problems, and leverage the unique strengths and perspectives of each member of a group.
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quick links

Registration Resources

Four Year Academic Planning Guide
 

Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments

CLICK HERE for Minnesota Report Card including detailed MCA scores
 

Academic Course Guide

CLICK HERE for the 2023-2024 Academic Program Guide
 

Testing Information

CLICK HERE to view our academic year testing calendar
CLICK HERE to view the MDE Parent/Guardian Guide and Refusal for Student Participation in Statewide Testing
 

ACADEMICS HAPPENINGS

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The Black Student union (BSU) went exploring for artistic inspiration on their field trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art this past week. They will be using the inspiration they gathered from a plethora of artwork to inform their performance in February.

#spcpacommunity #spcpaacademics #BSU
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The Black Student union (BSU) went exploring for artistic inspiration on their field trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art this past week. They will be using the inspiration they gathered from  a plethora of artwork to inform their performance in February. 

#spcpacommunity #spcpaacademics #bsu

This past week was the annual "Trial of Genghis Khan" in Taylor Lohman's AP World History class. The prosecution was tasked with proving Khan was guilty of excessive brutality and crimes against humanity. For those wondering, he found was guilty on the count of Crimes Against Humanity and innocent on the count of Excessive Brutality. It was very close, the defense had a strong closing statement!

#spcpaacademics #spcpa #artshighschool #saintpaulconservatory #apworldhistory
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This past week was the annual Trial of Genghis Khan in Taylor Lohmans AP World History class. The prosecution was tasked with proving Khan was guilty of excessive brutality and crimes against humanity. For those wondering, he found was guilty on the count of Crimes Against Humanity and innocent on the count of Excessive Brutality. It was very close, the defense had a strong closing statement! 

#spcpaacademics #spcpa #artshighschool #saintpaulconservatory #apworldhistoryImage attachmentImage attachment

Our Independent Research & Design seniors presented their topic proposals earlier this week, adapting their formal written structure to shorter, more conversational speeches. Come check out their projects-in-process (when school resumes) in Ms. Johnson's room!

#spcpaacademics
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Our Independent Research & Design seniors presented their topic proposals earlier this week, adapting their formal written structure to shorter, more conversational speeches. Come check out their projects-in-process (when school resumes) in Ms. Johnsons room!

#spcpaacademicsImage attachment

This past week, in Natalie Reinhart's AP Comparative Government class, students conducted their own version of the U.K. government's weekly Prime Minister's Questions. Students represented 4 different parties, with the majority Conservative Party having to field over 30 minutes of questions about the U.K.'s economy, health care system, climate policy, and i#spcpaacademicsc#SPCPAp#APGovtemics #SPCPA #APGovt See MoreSee Less

This past week, in Natalie Reinharts AP Comparative Government class, students conducted their own version of the U.K. governments weekly Prime Ministers Questions. Students represented 4 different parties, with the majority Conservative Party having to field over 30 minutes of questions about the U.K.s economy, health care system, climate policy, and immigration policy.

#spcpaacademics #SPCPA #APGovtImage attachmentImage attachment

Today marked the inaugural CommonApp Cookie Party! Seniors gathered during lunches to help each other with college apps and work on profiles. Join us again next Wednesday, Class of 2024!

#spcpaacademics
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Today marked the inaugural CommonApp Cookie Party! Seniors gathered during lunches to help each other with college apps and work on profiles. Join us again next Wednesday, Class of 2024!

#spcpaacademicsImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

We're back! Today was New Student Orientation Day – a full day for 130 new students, faculty, and senior ambassadors (wearing the lavender SPCPA shirts). Tomorrow all returning students join us.

Enjoy the poem below written TODAY by new 10th, 11th, and 12th grade Creative Writing students. In poetry, "exquisite corpse" poems are written by a group of poets, each of whom can only see the line before theirs. (Teachers Ariane Sandford and Michael Kleber-Diggs each contributed one line).

Imprints of Imperfections, an Exquisite Corpse

Late summer, the leaves have not yet started
dreaming of sleep, though not the sort of sleep
that lasts forever. Always in a sleeping mind,
never able to reach sleep, my mind reflects
shadows in the dark, always attempting
to shut it off, but never totally succeeding.
The thought forever ingrained in my mind —
imprints of imperfections constantly reminding me
that I am imperfect. But imperfect beauty —
for all the stars and nebulas are different.
Imperfection is the definition of perfection,
the stars align, perfectly imperfect. And yet
the stars, as we see them, still long to be
the sun.

#spcpaarts #spcpaacademics
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Were back!  Today was New Student Orientation Day - a full day for 130 new students, faculty, and senior ambassadors (wearing the lavender SPCPA shirts).  Tomorrow all returning students join us. 

Enjoy the poem below written TODAY by new 10th, 11th, and 12th grade Creative Writing students. In poetry, exquisite corpse poems are written by a group of poets, each of whom can only see the line before theirs.  (Teachers Ariane Sandford and Michael Kleber-Diggs each contributed one line).

Imprints of Imperfections, an Exquisite Corpse 

Late summer, the leaves have not yet started 
dreaming of sleep, though not the sort of sleep
that lasts forever. Always in a sleeping mind, 
never able to reach sleep, my mind reflects 
shadows in the dark, always attempting
to shut it off, but never totally succeeding.
The thought forever ingrained in my mind —
imprints of imperfections constantly reminding me 
that I am imperfect. But imperfect beauty — 
for all the stars and nebulas are different. 
Imperfection is the definition of perfection, 
the stars align, perfectly imperfect. And yet
the stars, as we see them, still long to be 
the sun.

#spcpaarts  #spcpaacademicsImage attachmentImage attachment+6Image attachment

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I see our exchange student! Actually still have two students waiting for a welcome family! If you can help DM me and I can connect you with the local Representative 😉 We love hosting

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